Shloka 90

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

राजोवाच विरूप कि धारयते भवानस्य ब्रवीतु मे । श्रुत्वा तथा करिष्येडहमिति मे धीयते मन:

Transliteration

rājovāca — virūpa kiṃ dhārayate bhavān asya? bravītu me; śrutvā tathā kariṣye ’ham iti me dhīyate manaḥ.

Translation

国王说道：“毗卢波，维克利塔对你握有何种义务或债（ṛṇa）？告诉我。待我听明白之后，我必依之而行——此乃我心中已定之决断。”

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विरूप: O Virūpa
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• धारयते: bears/holds (has upon him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्य: of this/of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ब्रवीतु: let (him/you) tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative/Genitive, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada-usage

• तथा: thus/accordingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• करिष्ये: I shall do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Simple Future, 1st, Singular, Atmanepada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• मे: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• धीयेते: is thought/seems (to me)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धी
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

विकृत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (the king)
• Virūpa
• Vikṛta

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should decide matters of obligation and dispute only after hearing the relevant facts, and then act firmly according to dharma—measured inquiry followed by resolute action.

What is happening in the narrative?

The king questions Virūpa about the specific claim (a ‘debt/obligation’) that Vikṛta is said to have over him, asking for clarification so that the king can render an appropriate decision.